


So Hard to Say Goodbye

by FlavorofKylo



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Almost Domestic Reylo, Alternate Universe - College/University, Animal Rescue, Complete, Dont be fooled by the title ends happily, F/M, Family Feels, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Hand & Finger Kink, Hand Over Mouth Sex, Idiots in Love, New York City, No beta we die like Amazons, Oral Sex, Orgasm Delay, Pining, Praise Kink, Road Trips, Sexual Tension, Soft Ben Solo, Thanksgiving, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, thanksgiving 1999
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-18 09:28:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28989984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlavorofKylo/pseuds/FlavorofKylo
Summary: It's almost Thanksgiving, and Rey doesn't have the funds to travel home for the holiday.Then she finds out that her friend Ben delayed his own trip home to watch over her.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 49
Kudos: 249
Collections: Just Tell Me You Love Me, Reylo Valentine’s 2021





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was a spontaneous idea I had when I woke up this morning. The first chapter was written in about 3 hours, so please don't judge too harshly.

Rey peers out of her dorm window at the darkening sky. Snowflakes are swirling down lightly, and the weather report promises they will thicken up shortly and leave a substantial coating. She sighs, wishing she had enough money for a roundtrip ticket to Jersey. Maz offered to help, of course, but Rey knows money is tight right now, and with Christmas approaching she doesn’t want to be a burden. It’s just a few days. She has her books and a pile of videos to watch. It won’t be so bad.

Her eyes move down to the opposite side of the building, on the first floor. There’s a light on in one of the windows, and she realizes immediately that it’s Ben’s room. She thought he would have left by now to start the drive down to the city. She’d been hoping that he’d stop in before he left, to say good-bye, but that hadn’t happened. It didn’t really make sense for him to hang around, especially with the snow starting up. The city was a good three hour drive in decent weather. 

  
A flash of excitement goes through her as she wonders if he's changed his mind and was going to stay. But why would he? She shakes off the ridiculous notion.

  
It isn’t even four o’clock, but the campus is already a wasteland.

  
Rey chews her lip. She could go down and knock on Ben’s door to see what’s up. She knows it’s silly, there’s no reason to think he's changed his mind. But curiosity gets the better of her and she reaches for the doorknob.

She steps into the hall distractedly and nearly collides with a large body standing just outside. She raises her eyes and her lips part in shock.

  
“Ben."

  
“Hey, Munchkin,” he grins.

Her breath catches as she looks up into his honey-brown eyes. Being close to him has always had this effect on her, and it’s only gotten worse over time.

  
“You’re still here,” she says, as if it wasn't obvious. 

  
“Well, it would appear that way,” he chuckles.

  
“But I thought you would have left by now. The snow—” she breaks off as he starts shaking his head.

  
“Did you really think I would leave without saying good-bye?” His expression is incredulous, as if such a thing is out of the realm of possibility.

Warmth blooms in her chest and she’s suddenly afraid to speak—as if the words themselves could change what he’s implying.

  
“So then what….what’s up? Almost everyone left hours ago.”

“I know. Can I come in?"

  
Ben enters and sprawls casually on her bed the way he usually does. Rey feels a squeezing in her chest, a sense that either something terrible or something wonderful is about to happen. She’s not completely sure which scares her more. Noting her hesitation, he pats the space beside her and raises his eyebrows. She sits, and when they are close enough that she can see the flecks of green in his brown eyes and feel the heat of his thigh pressing into hers, she speaks.

  
“I was, uh…about to come knock on your door, actually.”

  
He gives her an amused smile. “Well, I saved you the trip.”

  
“So does this mean you’re not going?”

  
Ben twists his mouth in that way he does when he’s figuring something out.

  
“Not sure. I was thinking about you, being in the dorms by yourself all weekend, and it….bothered me. Doesn’t seem fair.”

  
Rey huffs. She knew all about life not being fair.

  
“I’ll be fine,” she insists, but her voice sounds hollow even to her.

  
“And also, what if you got snowed in?”

  
“I’ve got plenty of mac and cheese, soup and trail mix to get me through,” she laughs airily. “I won’t starve.’

  
Ben grins. “Mac and cheese and trail mix. Makes for a perfect Thanksgiving dinner."

  
Rey shrugs again.

  
“I was thinking,” he says thoughtfully. “I could just wait until tomorrow when it stops and drive down then…"

  
“That sounds reasonable.”

  
"....and you could come with me.”

  
Her eyes flicker to his. She’s captivated by the suggestion, the thought of spending a long weekend with him. Meeting his family. Would be nice to spend the holiday with a big family, for once.

And with Ben.

  
“Are you….you sure, you’d want that?”

  
He smiles indulgently. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure. But only if you promise not to play that ridiculous New Age music in the car. No Enya, Rey. I mean it," he teases.

  
Rey grins. She’s stunned. She’s happy, happier than she’s felt in a long time.

  
“Your family won’t mind?”

  
“Oh , _please._ My mother will fall in love with you.” After he says it, his throat bobs, and she suddenly knows she’s not the only one feeling what she’s feeling. It’s the earnest look in his eyes, the slight edge in his voice.

  
_I could fall in love with you. And maybe…I already am._

  
“Okay…okay,” she grins, finally letting herself rejoice. “Yeah. That sounds great.”

  
Ben’s lips curl. “Good. So now we just have to figure out what we’re going to eat tonight. Before the snow gets too thick and delivery is too backed up.”

  
“It you bring the pizza, I’ll bring the movies,” she offers.

  
“That’s a bet.”

++

  
Rey met Ben the previous year, while she was a Freshman and he a Junior. Her roommate, Rose, shared a film class with his roommate, Hux, and there was an instant, easy playfulness between them. The four of them would often sit together in the caf, especially on weekends when they lingered over meals. That grew to include campus movie nights and long hangout sessions where the guys would drop by with snacks and beer and the four of them would just bullshit for hours.

Ben had also been extremely supportive when Rey was on the verge of a meltdown over her Chemistry final. He encouraged, helped her prep and eventually she passed with a solid C rather than failing, as she likely would have without his help.

She liked Ben from the beginning. He was always sweet and kind to her, and the fact that he just happened to be pretty hot was a bonus.

  
At the start of her Sophomore year, Rose and Hux had started hooking up, which led to actual dating. The dynamic among them shifted then; they spent less time together as a foursome, and when they did go out together, Rose and Hux’s constant teasing and playful PDA had started to make Rey uncomfortable. She wished that Ben would look at her the way Hux looked at Rose. And while she wasn’t oblivious to his occasional heated glances her way, she always wrote them off as nothing serious.

  
He never made a move, and neither did she. 

They remained good friends.

The snow was falling in thick clumps, by the time they were settled in Ben’s room (he had a bigger tv) for their dinner-and-a-movie.

  
Rey looks around, eyebrows raised in surprise. “Hmm, this looks and smells better than I would have expected for two male roommates," she grins.

  
“Don’t tell me you’re _stereotyping_ , Miss Niima. Not all guys are slobs.”

  
Rey nods, because he definitely has a point there. _“Touche.”_

As they start on their pizza, Ben paws through the pile of DVD’s Rey brought. He cocks an eyebrow at her.

  
“What is this, Kubrick celebration week?”

  
“We’ve been talking about him in my film class, and I decided I wanted to watch all of them. I’ve already seen _Dr. Strangelove_ , _2001_ , and _Barry Lyndon,_ soo..."

  
“I get it.” He nods and picks up the copy of _Eyes Wide Shut._

  
“So, you’re telling me you’ve never seen this one?”

  
She feels a fluttering in her lower belly. Rose had told her it was an _intense_ film. Suspenseful. Erotic.

  
“Uh uh.”

  
The grin that steals across his face nearly does her in.

  
“Then I vote this one. I love _The Shining_ , of course, but I’d like to see your reaction to this.”

  
“Alrighty then,” she agrees.

  
It gets quiet for awhile, as they eat, watching the snow pile up outside and talking about the drive down to the city tomorrow.

  
“So, I told my mother you’d be joining us tomorrow. She’s excited," he says casually.

His words give her pause. “Excited? Why?”

  
He shrugs, swallowing a big mouthful of pizza. He gets it down before he smiles. “You can ask her yourself.”

They are thirty minutes into the film when the two main characters, a married couple, begin to fight. The wife challenges her husbands perception of women and female desire. As they watch, Rey grows more and more incensed, until she finally presses pause. Ben looks over at her curiously. 

  
“What’s the issue, Munchkin?” he asks, unsurprised.

So she lets loose. In the middle of her rant about inequalities in society, she pauses to stare at him. It’s obvious that he has been expecting this reaction from her all along, and she finds the knowledge more than a little disconcerting. 

  
“Well, Alice is completely right. Her husband just doesn’t understand women or female sexuality,” she asserts angrily.

  
Ben raises his eyebrows and nods. “I agree. He’s a fool. He doesn’t get it."

  
She’s so thrown by his easy acquiescence that she can’t find the words. Ben waits patiently for her to say something.

  
“Okay,” she says finally, the words exiting her mouth as if by decree. 

  
Ben chuckles, grabbing the remote to resume the movie. 

It’s a long film, more than two and a half hours running time. When it gets to the orgy scenes, Rey can’t help but squirm a bit. They’re sitting on Ben’s bed, their backs to the wall, thighs touching as they stare at the screen in front of them, shrouded by the darkness. It dawns on her again, that he chose to watch _this_ with her, as erotic as it is--she finds herself softening, her body heating up. There's a soft pulsing between her legs, and she wants him to soothe her, to touch her there. She’s dying for him to. 

  
But he doesn’t touch her at all. 

  
It’s after eleven when the movie ends.

  
As the thoughts are flying through her mind, she suddenly feels the warm weight of his palm on her knee and she shifts, looking up. 

  
In the darkness of the room, Ben’s eyes look black and huge. She doesn’t want to move, doesn’t want to break the spell. She tries her best to stay still and just let it happen. But part of her is so scared that she will fuck this up, disappoint him. She waits, frozen like a frightened hare in the snow. 

  
He’s going to kiss her, she knows it. He’s staring. He wants to, she can tell. She watches his throat bob. 

“Rey…it’s late. Maybe you should go to your room.”

  
 _No. Please, no._

  
“But why?” she murmurs, confused.

  
“It’s….you should go. We’ll leave early in the morning,” he says, with no further explanation. 

  
His statement leaves no room for argument—he’s made up his mind. She's bereft; this sucks. Doesn’t he _want her?_

  
She holds his gaze for another few moments before rising. “Okay. Night.”  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben wakes Rey up early to get on the road. She's not thrilled, but then the day takes a turn for the better, in more ways than one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So once again, the idea for this fic started out as a drabble. It quickly became a one shot, and then soon after expanded to two and now three. I am determined to polish and get everything right before publishing this time, and I'll do my best not to rush it. It's been another super fun and sweet one to write. Hope you enjoy! 😉

Rey wakes to the sound of loud knocking. She groans and just rolls over, intensely annoyed. It isn’t even light out, for fuck’s sake.

“Rey….we need to get on the road. Are you up?”

The sound of Ben’s voice swings her back to the present.

“I am now,” she mutters. Shit. She would really prefer not to have him see her like this—not after last night.

“Could you open the door for a minute?”

She rolls over and forces herself to stand. “Gimme a sec, Ben. Jeez.”

She doesn’t even have time to run a comb through her hair. Rey flings the door open, bleary-eyed, wearing nothing but her favorite Chandrila U jersey and a pair of panties. Fortunately, the jersey comes to her upper thigh.

Ben’s lips part as he takes her in, eyes traveling quickly down her body to caress her long, smooth, tan legs. He shoves his hands into his pockets as his eyes meet hers again.

“Morning,” he murmurs, eyes crinkling. “Sorry, I know it’s early.”

Rey huffs. “You said _early,_ not the crack of dawn.”

He nods. “Can you be dressed in twenty minutes and grab your things? I’ll shovel the car out in the meantime."

Rey sighs, still put out by the hour. “Okay, okay.”

She shuts the door and starts to get ready as the previous evening’s activities flit through her brain.

Ben delaying his own departure in the snow, and then inviting her for Thanksgiving at his parent’s place in New York City.

Sharing pizza with him. _Eyes Wide Shut_ …and then the kiss that….didn’t happen.

Maybe she’d read him wrong after all, but at this point it really didn’t matter. He was kind enough to invite her and she really did want to go. Hopefully, things won’t be awkward.

Rey's shower is the quickest in recent history, but as cold as it is, she doesn’t much care. She pulls on a long sleeve Soundgarden t-shirt and green hoodie with her jeans, tugs her hair into a high ponytail and manages a coat of mascara and lip gloss. A few basic items are thrown into her overnight bag: couple sweaters, t-shirts, socks and undies.

  
Why bother getting dolled up for him if he saw her as nothing more than a friend, anyway.

Half an hour later, they’re flying down 1-87. The sky is quickly brightening, and the early sun sparkles on the pristine layer of white. She’s fully awake now and her stomach is growling.

“I really need some coffee,” she whines.

“I know. We’ll stop in a few. I just wanted to make some headway to make sure we don’t hit traffic."

She fiddles with the radio, setting it on a classic rock station. Ben is quiet, and she glances over at him for an inkling of his mood. They’ve barely spoken since leaving campus.

  
As they drive on, the silence stretches out between them, and she feels it like a stone in her empty belly. She really hopes it won’t be like this all weekend.

“We should hit the city by eleven-thirty, if my calculations are right,” Ben offers, his eyes still on the road. " It can get rough on turkey day."

Rey nods. Like she knows. She’s never driven a car in her life.

He perks up, as if picking up on her thoughts.

“Have you thought about getting your license?”

She lowers her brows, suddenly defensive. “I don’t have money to buy a car, so why—”

He waves her off. “It’s still a good idea to have a license. You’ll want to know how one day.” He chances a sly grin in her direction. “We could practice this weekend, if you want.” His eyes flicker to the road and back to her.

“In your father’s car?”

Ben shrugs. “Yeah, he won’t care. I’m not even sure if he’ll be there.”

“Oh,” she says, not wanting to press. “Okay.”

“There’s a rest stop around 5 miles away. You’ll get your coffee, Babygirl. Just hold your water.”

Rey glances back at him. _Babygirl?_ He’s never called her that before.

Not long after, he drops his speed way down as they maneuver into the rest station parking area. Glancing out the window, Rey sees some movement in the snow, a flurry of brown and black, and she startles.

“Ben, wait….can you slow down? I think there’s a dog back there.”

“What?”

The car moves slowly down the long path toward the rest stop, and Rey turns back in her see to try to see. She turns to him, and he can read the distress on her face.

“Can we look? Please. I hate to think that someone would have dumped a dog out here.”

Ben purses his lips and nods, pulling into the fist available space. It’s far from the entrance to the building, but they have plenty of time and he’s curious, too.

  
They emerge from the car, legs already cramped and stiff from sitting. Rey rushes back to where she’d seen the dog and scans the area. Nothing. She looks back at Ben, and there’s panic in her eyes.

“I know I saw something,” she says.

Ben immediately begins making little clucking noises, hoping to draw the dog—or whatever it is—out from his hiding space. Rey walks along the inner edge of the parking area, looking and looking. She’s nearly ready to give up when she sees it, a small pup huddling behind a post in fear.

Her heart flutters with joy.

“Ben, I see it. C’mere, puppy. We won’t hurt you.”

From what they can both see, the pup appears to be a Beagle mix or some sort, smallish, and clearly very cold. He or she is shivering against the wind and doesn’t run or struggle when Rey finally swoops down to grab the pup. She holds the trembling animal close to her breast, soothing him.

  
“Shhh. It’s okay. We’ve got you now.”

  
She looks up at Ben questioningly. “Now what?”

  
“Let’s put him in the car. We’ll just run in and grab something. He’ll be fine for a few minutes, the car is warm.”

“I’ll stay with him,” Rey says, stroking his silky ears. His coat is a bit damp and ruffled, but he appears otherwise unhurt. The pup’s huge, liquid eyes catch hers and she feels her heart fill to overflowing. Ben reaches over and scratches his ruff.

“No collar and no tag,” he observes with a sigh. "He's a cute little fella, though. Okay. What do you want to eat?”

“Just get me a large coffee and a sausage biscuit, or something. Well, maybe two,” she adds, "to share with the baby here. And please fill this,” she adds, handing him her water bottle.

Ben nods, and with one last look at the two of them sitting there, he heads into the rest station.

A short time later, Ben returns with three Starbucks egg and sausage sandwiches, two Venti coffees, and a large bottle of water tucked under one massive arm. She thanks him and accepts the coffee gratefully. The first sip is heaven. 

“Just the way I like it," she smiles. 

“I should know by now, Munchkin."

The pup has calmed considerably and seems to not want to move from Rey’s lap. It’s obvious to Ben that this is already a love affair.

Rey drinks her coffee and eats her sandwich, sharing bites with the dog. "He's a she, you know," she smiles wistfully. The pup looks up at her with adoration as she accept the morsels from Rey's hands.

“Well, I definitely didn’t see _this_ coming today," Ben chuckles.

Rey nods and swallows her food. “Will your parents be okay with her being there?”

“Oh, yeah. My parents love dogs. We always had pets while I was growing up, dogs and cats. They only have a cat now, but it should be fine.”

Rey’s eyebrows shoot up. “Well, that's a relief.”

Ben rubs the pups ears gently. “She's gonna need to get vetted, you know. Maybe we can get an appointment for Friday."

"That would be great, yeah," she chimes. 

Ben pauses, watching her with the pup and feels his heart swell.

“Do you want to name her? Or is it too soon?” 

“I don’t know. I’ll have to think about that.”

He tosses her a sweet smile of pure affection and she smiles back.

They start back up, the earlier tension subdued. Rey’s main focus is on the pup, who easily falls asleep in her arms. The radio continues to belt out hits from the 70's and 80's, as they settle into a lull.

She must have dozed for a bit, because when she opens her eyes again, they're approaching the Triborough. She blinks, looking around, discombobulated. The pup is relaxed and mellow, eyes at half-mast. Ben tosses her an amused glance.

“Good nap?” 

“Yeah,” she croaks. “Where are we?”

“Bronx-Manhattan border. You were out for awhile."

Rey smiles down at the dog. "She's so warm and soothing. How much farther?"

We’ll be in the city soon enough, if traffic doesn’t get us.”

She bites her lip, suddenly thinking of the night before.

“Where will I be staying? I mean, will I have my own room?”

Ben huffs. “Of course. There’s plenty of space..”

She nods, suddenly feeling foolish. Stupid. What a stupid question.

He glances over. “Rey, listen. I didn’t want to jump into anything last night."

“No, no. It’s fine. I get it.”

He shakes his head. “Do you?”

She nods, turning her gaze to the window.

“Of course, Ben. We’re just friends.”

She tries not to look at him, but her eyes inevitably move back to his profile and she sees frustration there.

“Rey....you misunderstand me,” he puffs and rakes a hand back through his luxurious black hair.

“No, I know,” she says softly.

“No, I don’t think you do. I wanted you to stay last night. But I didn’t want it to be something you did because you felt you had to, or because..." he trails off, and his face twists with an unnamed emotion. 

They’ve hit a slow patch of traffic before the bridge, and the car is nearly motionless. He looks at her, waiting for her to meet his gaze.

“Rey. I want you,” he blurts. “Okay? Let’s just get that out of the way.”

Her arms tighten around the pup, a warm, sleepy bundle in her arms. She feels something inside her chest open up, filling with warmth, with light. The idea is almost too much, to think that she could have him, that Ben could be _hers_. That he could want her that way. Her eyes flicker back to him.

“You do?”

“Yes.” He stretches a hand to her cheek and brushes it tenderly. “Very much. But I wanted it to be right, not just something that _happened._ Rey, I want to be with you. And I need to know if that's what you want." 

The cavern inside her fills with a flight of angels, singing Hallelujah. She’s ascending, inches above the car in celebration.

  
She's a little afraid to tell him that she’s never wanted anything more than she wants this, more than she wants _him._ But she manages to piece the words together.

“I do,” she whispers. “God, yes.”

Ben smiles and his eyes slide back to the road as the car inches forward.

“So does this mean,” she said slowly, “that we could sleep in the same room, potentially?”

The corners of his mouth quirk up. “Well, I’m pretty sure my mom wouldn’t need to know about it. Since she’s under the impression that we’re just friends….”

Rey nods in understanding.

“But that being said, my room is just down the hall from yours. And the guest room has a bigger bed," he grins.

When his honey-brown eyes meet hers this time, they're darkened, nearly black. Heat pools between her legs and her heart speeds up.

“Where will the dog sleep?” she whispers.

“I dunno. We’ll figure that out."

They drive in silence for several long moments, tension mounting again. But this time, it's a different kind of tension. Rey tries to distract herself, unconsciously noting the proximity of other cars around them. As they approach the toll both, the line slows again and she makes a decision.

She places her free hand—the one not cradling the dog—on Ben’s knee. His reaction is immediate. He shifts his hips and clears his throat, his eyes darting back to convey his mood. Emboldened now, she moves her hand to clasp tighter, her fingers tracing the seam along his inner thigh. As she moves closer to his crotch, he groans.

“Rey…. _.fuck._ ”

“Feeling a little tense, Ben?” she teases.

He growls but no words come as he speeds the car up to move through the toll at last. His gaze burns into her, but he's finally forced to turn away away as they drive through the toll. When they get through to the other side, he hits the gas.

“That’s not fair,” he says weakly. She can’t help the smirk that stretches across her face.

“I’ve always wanted to try it, she murmurs. “Rose told me she’s done it with Hux."

“What?”

“Giving head while he was driving,” she says airily.

Ben’s nostrils flare and his eyes snap back to hers.

“You’re a little tease, you know that?”

“No, a tease wouldn’t follow through.”

He grunts. “Fuck, you’ve got me so hard right now.”

“Don't you want me to?”

He shakes his head. “Yes, but not when I’m going this fast. I’ll lose control of the car for sure. I’ll take you up on it later, though." He licks his lips. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t touch yourself.”

She glances down at the dog in her arms.

“Rey, you can put her down for a few minutes, she’ll be fine.”

He’s right, of course. She gently moves to set the dog on the floor beside her, but the pup struggles, not wanting to let go of Rey’s warmth. Finally, Rey is able to release her to the floor beside her legs, but almost immediately the dog crawls back into her lap.

Rey can’t help but chuckle as she glances back at Ben. “I guess not.”

He lets out a low laugh. “That’s okay. But I can’t wait to get my mouth on you,” he says thickly.

She’s throbbing between her legs now, knowing that what she really wants is finally going to happen. She’s been wanting it for _months_ —she can wait a little longer.

“Oh, yeah?” she asks breathily. “What are you gonna do to me?”

Ben hums, shooting her occasional heated glances as he drives. “Well, first I’m going to lay you out on your back and kiss and suck on those pretty little tits of yours. Swirl my tongue around them until you’re begging me for more.”

“Mmm. And then what?”

"Oh and then, I’ll lie between your legs and lick you where you’re soft and wet….get your juices all over my face. Watch you fall apart on my tongue.”

  
Rey’s mouth drops open at the erotic image and she lets out a low, wanton moan. Ben swears under his breath and shifts in his seat, reaching down to adjust himself.

“Fuck…babygirl, I’m not sure I can wait til we get to my parent’s place. Might have to stop," he rumbles.

But there’s nowhere to stop. They’re on the bridge, and pulling over is not a possibility.

He sighs and meets her eyes again, the corners of his mouth tipping up wryly. 

“Not too much further now,” he says as the car enters the Major Deegan. “Couple more exits and we’ll be there.” He glances over at the pup, who’s sitting up, looking out the window now. “She doing okay?” 

  
Rey smiles down at the dog before looking back at him. “Yeah. She’s great.” 

++

A short time later, they're parked on Riverside Drive and 115th Street, across from Han and Leia’s apartment. Ben grabs their bags and Rey carries the pup, stopping in front to let her do her business. The doorman, Rob, smiles broadly at Ben and nods at Rey when they enter the lobby. They'll need to pick up food and supplies at Petco tomorrow, but for now they'll make it work.

  
"Young Mister Solo," Rob calls, holding out a hand in greeting. 

  
“Hey, Rob.” Ben grins. “Happy Thanksgiving.”

  
“Looks like you’re doing pretty well for yourself, Ben,” Rob says with a friendly wink at Rey. She blushes, and Ben puts an arm around her as they enter the elevator. 

“See you later, Rob.”

They alight on the Penthouse, the 16th floor. The two of them stand outside the door and ring the bell, their eyes ravenous for each other. 

  
“We’ll check out the terrace later,” he tells Rey. “It’s breathtaking. Wraps all the way around. Incredible views at night.”

  
The door swings open and Leia beams at her son.

“Hi sweetie, so good to see you,” she croons, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tight. “And Rey, welcome. I’m so glad you could join us.”

Only then do her eyes catch on the small canine bundle in Rey’s arms. “Who’s this?” she chirps.

  
Ben chuckles. “She doesn’t have a name yet."

  
“We found her at a rest stop in the snow," Rey explains hastily. "I couldn't leave her."

  
Leia’s eyes widen. She looks at Rey first, and then back at Ben. 

"She's a girl after my own heart."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies, but this became more complex as I was writing. I decided to pub this chapter as is. The horniness comes to fruition in the next and final chapter. 😁 thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey has dinner with Ben and his mom, and Han arrives late. Family fluff that melds into smut. That's pretty much it--this is a short one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The terrace is one in a real building at 115th and Riverside in New York. It was the home of a family friend when I was growing up and we had many parties and dinners there. The terrace really was the best thing about the apartment! ☺

“That looks really good. Are you sure I can’t do anything?”

Rey’s mouth is starting to water as she watches Leia baste the turkey. Ben’s running up and down the long hallway, playing with the still unnamed pup.

“Actually, you can. Open that bottle of red for me, would you, hon? Turkey’s almost ready to come out.”

Ben stops what he’s doing and peers into the kitchen. “Smells great, mom. When do we eat?”

“Oh, it won’t be long. Another ten minutes to brown and then it has to sit.”

Ben chews his lower lip, watching as Rey hands Leia a glass of wine. He crosses his arms.

“It’s after 3. Is dad coming?”

Leia huffs. “His flight was canceled because of the snow. He’s trying to get on a later one, but we’re not going to wait for him.”

Ben nods, taking the bottle from Rey. “Pretty typical,” he mutters.

Leia’s head snaps around. “Ben. That’s not fair,” she scolds.

He raises his eyebrows and takes a sip of wine. “You’re right. It’s not his fault,” he agrees.

“Right,” Leia nods.

“This time,” he interjects.

Leia sighs and shakes her head. “So, what are you two planning to do with miss cutie pie out there? Since there’s no dogs in the dorms.” She crooks an eyebrow at her son and sips from her glass .Rey eyes the bottle and then reaches for it to pour a little into a glass. It’s good, rich and spicy on her tongue. Now, she’s really dying to eat.

Ben looks at Rey and his lips stretch into one of his signature lopsided grins, the ones that make her stomach flutter.

“Well, mom….we were, uh….hoping you would keep her for the time being.”

His mother stares at him with clear amusement. “I didn’t have to be a mind-reader to figure out where you were going with this. So you’re basically asking me to care for your dog, take her out twice a day and feed her, until you graduate? Is that it?”

Ben cocks his head in agreement and gives a little shrug.

“Yeah, pretty much. Otherwise, we’d have to take her to a shelter,” he offers, knowing she’ll back down. He knows his mother.

Rey’s eyes widen. “I’d really like to keep her.”

Leia rolls her eyes. “It’s not that I _mind_. I love dogs, but someone would have to come in and walk her in the evenings. I get home too late.”

Ben returns to the kitchen with the pup in his arms and brings her straight to Leia, pouting his lip. His mother stares down at the sweet little face and floppy ears and sighs.

“She needs a name, mom. Any ideas?” He winks at Rey.

“You and Rey should name her. Besides, we have to see how BeeBee feels about it.”

Ben chuckles. “Beebee’s used to dogs. He’ll be fine.”

Leia grunts but it’s clear by her soft eyes that she’s already made up her mind. “I’m taking Rey out on the terrace for a few”,” he says.

“That’s fine. Dinner soon.”

Rey follows Ben out to the terrace with the dog. She scampers happily down the pavement and rounds the corner.

The sky is a sharp, clear blue, the wind biting as it whips across the terrace. Rey shivers in her hoodie and Ben moves up behind her, wrapping her in his arms. He’s like her own personal oven, and his big body encompasses hers easily.

“Mmm, that’s better,” she sighs, closing her eyes in bliss.

They stand against the thick concrete ledge that overlooks the Hudson and an unencumbered view of New Jersey beyond.

“There’s Jersey,” he murmurs in her ear. “You could probably see your house from here, huh?”

  
Ben pushes closer to her, grinding his cock against her ass and she feels the telltale swelling beneath his jeans. He turns her face back just enough to catch her lips, and she feels the searing heat of his want surge into her. His lips are so soft, and she feels herself liquifying as he kisses her slowly, hungrily. He breaks it to whisper in her ear: “I can’t wait to be inside you.”

She pulses softly inside at his words. “I can’t wait either,” she breathes.

They make out for a few minutes more, momentarily oblivious to the chilling winds.

“Let’s go in. Cold,” is all he says, and she nods, even though his kiss has warmed her in a way she’s never felt warmth before.

++

  
Dinner is wonderful, as good Rey had hoped. Despite her initial surprise that there would only be a few of them at the table, it turns out to be lovely. She thoroughly enjoys Leia’s edgy sense of humor and her unquestionable devotion to her son. The thought drifts through Rey’s head that maybe Ben doesn’t fully appreciate his mother as much as he should. She’d be grateful to have a mother like Leia.

The conversation centers heavily on school. Ben is set to graduate in the coming spring and Leia presses about where he might find work with a Computer Science degree. Ben’s interested in gaming and possibly starting his business but Leia’s not keen on the idea—new businesses are very tough to get off the ground, especially for young people with little to no business experience.

Rey listens passively, taking it all in. She’s an English Major with a Minor in Journalism and hopes to find a job in food or fashion writing when she’s done.  
Eventually, talk returns to the question of what to name the doggie. Leia and Ben throw out different ideas: Sadie, Muffin, Chica. When Ben suggests Lucky, she rolls her eyes.

“Oh, _that’s original,_ Ben.”

“Well, come up with something then. She needs a name, Rey. Or we could just call her ‘Dog'.’”

Rey glances over at the pup, curled up on the floor, completely content. She watches them with eyes at half mast.

“I don’t know. Well, she kind of reminds me of a little chocolate chip cookie.”

Leia chuckles. “Sooo…Cookie..?"

Rey grins at Ben. “Hmm. Cookie?”

Ben huffs. “Is that really better than Lucky?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever had such a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner. Your turkey was perfect, and that stuffing, oh my _god!_ What’s in it?” Rey lets out a little moan at the recollection, making Ben suddenly shift in his chair. When she looks over , he’s pursing his lips and it suddenly dawns on her that he’s affected by the sound. She laughs inwardly and decides to have a little fun.

“I like her, Ben,” Leia smiles. “Rey, you’re welcome to come to dinner here anytime.”

She barely acknowledges his smirk before she continues. “It’s dried apricots and walnuts in the stuffing," she smiles. "Who wants coffee? I'll put dessert out in a bit, after we digest a little."

Rey widens her eyes. “Dessert? I don’t know if I can….” she looks over at Ben, who’s still watching her intently.

“Well, there’s two kinds of pie: Pecan and Apple,” Leia announces.

Rey lets out another low moan. “Pecan? _Ohhh, I looove_ Pecan Pie…”

Grinning, she looks back at Ben; he’s shaking his head mildly as he licks his lips. His eyes tell the whole story.

_I know exactly what you’re doing. You’re going to pay for it later._

  
Ben and Rey help Leia clear the table and load the dishwasher. He keeps bumping into her deliberately when they pass, squeezing her ass or nudging against a tit. They shoot each other heated gazes when Leia isn’t looking.

Once everything is done and Leia puts the coffee to brew, Ben tugs her out of he kitchen and presses her up against the wall.

  
“I’m gonna make you moan for me like that later,” he whispers hotly in her ear. Rey squirms as his lips press against her jaw. Ben moves away just in time when his mother emerges from the kitchen.

  
Leia settles into the couch and calls Cookie to her. The dog looks up but doesn’t come and Ben laughs.

  
“She doesn’t know her name yet, Mom.”

  
The three of them are laughing about it when the phone rings. “Ben, sweetie. Would you please get it?”

  
He sighs and moves into the kitchen. Rey stays where she is, watching Leia play with Cookie on her lap and listening to snippets of the conversation.

  
_Mmhm. Yeah. Okay….yep._

He hangs up and stands in the doorway. “Dad’s on his way from the airport.”

  
“I guess he made that other flight after all. Good. We can have dessert when he gets here. Honey, can you turn on Channel 4? The dog show should be on.”

Once Han finally arrives, Leia makes up a plate for him. Ben and Rey dig into their pie and coffee and make small talk with him. Han seems particularly impressed with the fact that Rey came home with him for the holiday.

  
“I’m glad Ben’s not keeping you a secret from us anymore,” Han says with a charming smile. Rey feels a little flutter inside, suddenly aware of how much Ben is like his father.

  
“Ahh, thanks,” she smiles, flushing lightly, as she sneaks a glance at Ben.

The small talk draws out painfully, and all Rey wants is to be alone with Ben. As 10:00 approaches-- _magic hour_ \-- she eyes her escape and a graceful departure. They've already come to a tacit agreement that the dog will stay in the guest room with Rey.

  
“If she whines during the night, you can let her out on the terrace,” Leia says. “We’ll pick it up later.”

  
Rey nods, grateful. “Thank you so much for dinner, and everything. I’m going to crash.”

“Yeah—she was up super early,” Ben adds quickly, his eyes probing her with a knowing little smile. "My fault."

  
++

Rey goes to wash up and change into her regular sleep t-shirt, wishing that she had packed something sexier to wear for Ben. Oh well….hopefully he won't care.

She flops down into the bed, much larger and more comfy than her narrow, cheap mattress in the dorm. Or her similarly lacking mattress at home. Here she feels safe, warm and comfy. And with the implant in her arm, there are no worries.

Rey sinks into the mattress, enjoying the luxury of it….and of the semi-sweet tang of waiting for what comes next.

  
She gets sleepy very fast, the food, the wine, and the warm, comforting atmosphere have all soothed her nerves. She’s relaxed enough that she just begins to drift when she hears a knock on the door. 

  
She stirs, her belly heating with anticipation. She manages to get to her feet and move toward the door to open it.

  
The second the door is shut, he’s on her.

Ben grabs her by her hips, mouth devouring hers hungrily as he drags her to the bed, pinning her with his powerful body. As he kisses her, lingering, slow, torturous kisses, she feels the heat rolling off him in waves. Impatient, he yanks at the collar of her shirt, one hand sliding down greedily to grasp at a breast, thumbing her nipple and causing a soft moan to escape her lips. 

  
“Mmm, that’s the sound I’ve been wanting to hear. Just for me,” he growls. 

  
He tugs up her t-shirt til she feels his mouth, warm and wet, around her nipple. He sucks and nibbles as a hand slides down to her throbbing, achy center. His fingers glide through her wetness, collecting it as he presses softly on her clit. 

  
Kneeling between her legs, Ben laps at her as she moans and writhes, grabbing at the sheets for purchase. She gives herself completely to sensation as he bring her higher and higher slowly, closer to the sun as she wriggles beneath him. He stops for a moment and looks up, shushing her. 

“Quiet. You need to be quiet,” he warns, before resuming his feast. She tries, but she can't stop it, the noises still leaking from her lips unabated. When she comes, her body shaking with the blinding pleasure of it, she bites her own fist to silence herself.

  
Rey’s barely has time to finish before he climbs on top of her, pushing into her moist, hot center without preamble. She’s wet enough that he slides in with little resistance, both of them groaning as he bottoms out. He's _big,_ bigger than anyone she's been with. He stops for a moment and she feels his heart hammering against her chest, his body hot and vaguely sweaty above hers. He smells of something spicy and coffee and musk, and Rey knows this moment will be engraved in her mind for the rest of her life. 

  
“You okay?” he murmurs, waiting for her assent before he starts thrusting deep, his cock filling her, and she’s never felt so _full_ of anything before. She’s savoring the slight pinch and burn of how big he is and then he begins to move faster, blurring all notions of hesitation and self-doubt from her mind. He pounds into her, instinctively moving a hand to her mouth to mute her moans. 

  
Ben manages to grunt out something. It sounds like _Fuck you’re so delicious_ as he thrusts harder, and the coil tightens. She’s ready to come, so ready, and when his fingers slip between them to play with her clit she’s right there. 

"That's right, baby," he groans. "Come on my cock."

Rey's body surrenders, her pussy clenching him tight, the spasms sending him into his own orgasm. Ben's eyes roll back in his head as he finally lets go, the feeling of connectedness vibrating though them.

They shudder and rock together, falling back into a hot, sweaty mass. Rey is on top of the world, it's even more than she hoped for. Ben pants slightly as they come down, hands entwined, legs tangled. When their hearts have slowed and the aftershocks abate, they lie dreamily in each other's arms.

Rey's ready to sleep, and as she feels herself being pulled under Ben's voice brings her back. She hears him cluck and seconds later, Cookie jumps up on the bed, settling down at the foot of it. 

She laughs softly, because in this moment she cannot believe she is this happy-- _this lucky._ Ben presses soft kisses along her neck and she sighs. 

"Can you stay?"

"Sure. I'll just have to get up early. We'll tell them tomorrow," he chuckles, and she feels his his lips curve into a smile against her skin.

"Good," she murmurs, all her powers of eloquent speech vanished in the moment.

It's too good, too perfect. She's too relaxed not to fall asleep. As she drifts, she hear Ben's voice. 

"I wouldn't have been able to leave you like that. Not without saying goodbye," he says softly. "Really, I couldn't have left at all, not without you. You should know that."

Rey's lips curl into a smile. "I know now."


End file.
